Draft and center sill connection.



P. M. BEARD.

DRAFT AND CENTER SILL CONNECTION. APPLICATION FILED fes. I1. I9I5.

Patented May 23, 1916.

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DRAFT AND CENTER SILL CONNECTION.

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APPLICATION FILED #18.17.1915.

Patented May 23, i916.

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erstens resister 'orientent PL'L HEARD, OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI, ASSIGNOR TO AMERICAN CAR AND FOUNDRY COMPANY, CF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI, A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

DRAFT AND CENTER SILL CONNECTION.

Application ined February 17, 1915.

Be it known that l, PAUL M. Bimini, a citizen of the llnited States, residing at the city of St. Louis, State of Missouri, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Draft and Center Sill Connection, of which the :following is a full, clear, and exact description, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it a ppertains to make and use the saine, reference being had to `the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification.

My invention relates to an underframe construction for railway cars. and pertains particularly to an improved form of connection for joining the center sills and draft sills in the underfraine structi'ire.

T he object of my invention is to provide a particularly strong and rigid connection for'tlie draft sills and center sills at the point where they are intersected by the bolster, and at the same time. to provide a very stable connection between `the bolster and the longitudinal draft member which Ais comprised of the draft and center sills.

A further object of my invention is to provide a structure which is particularly adapted to facilitate the assembling of the draft sills, center sill and bolster in the structure, and to provide a construction, when the parts are assembled, ywhich affords a maximum strength and stability at the points where the car is supported on the truck bolster-s.

Other and further objects of my invention will be obvious upon an understanding of the structure illustrated in 'the accompanying drawings in which Figure 1 is a detail of my improved form of draft sill, bolster and center sill connection, the same being a plan view. with the upper flanges of the center sill broken. away, Fig. 2 is a cross section of the same taken approximately on line 22 of Fig. 3. Fig. 3 is a side view showing the bolster member in section. `Fig. '-l is a transverse section .taken approximately on line 4 4 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a transverse section taken approximately on line 5-5 of Fig. 3, showing the upper flanges of the center sill.

Referring more specifically lto the draw- 4 ings, in which like characters of reference titi are used to indicate like parts throughout, it will be understood that 1 represents the draft sills which are spaced apartin the Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 23, 1916.

Serial No. 8,802.

` wardly presented vertical webs 6 adapted for attachment to the webs. of the draft sills, inwardly presented vertical Webs 7 adapted for attachment at the sides of the web of the center sill, continuous upper flanges 8 and continuous lower flanges9 connecting the webs (i with the webs 7 inwardly directed webs 10 formed on the webs G, outwardly directed webs 1l formed on the webs 7, and supporting webs l2 formed on the webs 9 and connected thereto at their inner edges by short vertical webs lei. rllhe conformation and arrangement of the webs 6, 7, 10, l1 and 12, and flanges 8, are such as to provide a transverse aperture 15 through each of the connector plates approximately at its middle.. 'The webs S are directed slightly upwardly and 'form the top walls of these apertures, the webs 12 form the bottom walls thereof, and the webs 10 and 11 form side walls thereof-which are convolutcd to conform approximately to the l 'tion` y2 which is adapted to project over and rest upon the top of the bolster member when the same is positioned within the apertures 15. The portions of the inwardly di'- rected webs 7 lying above the top flange 8 are continued over the apertures 15 `and past the ends of the outer webs G and the draft sills 1. The juxtaposed portions of the Webs 7 which project beyond the end of the overhanging portion 2d of the center sill may be thickened so as to make Contact with each other and form abutting shoulders 1G against which the extremity of the portion 2 is abutted. The portions of' the webs 7 lying intermediate the webs 11 and the portion of the center sill web terminating s the bolster may be similarly thickened to make Contact and form the vabutting shoulders 17 which abut the end of the web of the center sill. The webs 6 may be pro'- vided with outwardly directed shoulders 18 adapted to abut the inner extremities of the draft sills. The inner portions of webs 9 are displaced upwardly at 9 to provide space and an abutment for the end of the bottom flange 2" of the center sill.' The draft sills are provided with inwardly directed flanges 1a which abut the upper edges of the webs (i.

In assembling the connection, a pair of the connector plates are riveted to the draft-sills and the center sill by means of rivets seated in the webs 6 and T and the flange 9. The bolster is inserted through the opening 15 efnd secured in place by rivets seated in the vertical portions of the webs 10 and 11 and in the web of the bolster member. The webs 10 and 11 are designed to have operative con tact with the web of .the bolster, but itmay be desirable to insert filler plates 19.

This form of connection provides a very rigid and very stable connection between the center sill, draft sills and bolster. The continuous flanges 8 and 9, and the continuation of the upper portion of the webs 7 across the bolster opening dispose an amount of metal in the interval between thev draft sills and the center sill sufficient to secure great strength. The operative contact of the bolster member with flanges 8 an'l 12 and webs 1() and. 1l insures a very strong and firm emplacement and attachment of the bolster member. The center bearing plate 2() is attached by rivets to the lower flanges of the connector plates at one side of the bolster, and. to the lower fianges of the center sill and the flange l) at the` opposite side of the bolster. The abutments afforded by the shoulders 16, 1Tl and 1S provide direct bearings for the longitudinal draft members, which relieve the rivets of shearing strains.occa sioned by violent bufling stresses.

I am aware that the device is capable of Various modifications without departing from the scope. of the invention.

W'hat I claim is:

1. In a car underframe, the combination with thefcenter sill and spaced-apart draft sills, of a pair of connector plates formed of outwardly l'n'esentcd vertical webs for attachment to the draft sills` inwardly presented vertical webs f orattacln'nent to the center sill, horizontal flanges formed on and connecting said vertical webs, said plates being provided with transverse openings disposed between the horizontal flanges and the outwardly and inwardly presented Webs, and transversely directed webs formed 0n the vertical webs and forming walls for said openings, said openings being adapted for the reception of a transverse member.

2. 1n an underframe in combination with a center sill and spaced-apart draft sills, a connector plate having a, vertical web adapted for attachment to the center sill and a vertical web offset therefrom and adapted for attachment to one of the draft sills, said respective vertical webs terminating short of each other to provide a transvers aperture, horizontal flanges formed integrally on said vertical webs and passing above and below the aperture, and a portion of one of the vcrtical webs continuing across the aperture above the same, and means for securing a transverse member in the aperture.

In a car iuulerframe, acenter sill, a draft sill spaced apart therefrom laterally, a t ansverse frame member intersecting said sills, and anintegral connector plate encompassing the transverse member and secured at opposite sides thereof to the respective sills; said connector plate having webs and flanges passing above and below the transverse member.

1 l. In a car underfran'ie, the combination with a center sill, a draft sill offset laterally therefrom, and a transverse member, of a connector plate formed with transverse webs adapted for operative engagement with the. transverse member, flanges passing above and below the transverse member, and webs integral with said flanges and transverse webs and adapted fol attachment to the rcspective sills on opposite sides of the transverse member.

ln a car underframe. the combination with a center sill and a transverse member, of a draft sill and a connector plate forming a connection between the center sill, the draft sill, and the transverse member-,the draft sill having a portion forming a horizontal abutment for an upper edge of the connector plate.

(i. ln a car luulerl'rame. a connector plate for connecting a draft sill, center sill and transverse member` said connector plate be.- ing provided with an aperture for the reception of the transverse `member and having transverse webs and flanges forming the walls of said aperture, a vertical web com necting the outer margins of said transverse webs and flanges on one side of the opening` and a second vertical web connecting the in- .ner margins ol said transverse webs and flanges on the other side of said opening.

ln testimony whereof f hereunto allix my signature in the presence ol' two witnesses, this fifteenth day of' lfeliruary, 1015.

PAUL M. RICARD.

Witnesses Janus J. Vooren, Oscar l locnmauo. 

